Black Precision pickguard with lower tugbar – does this even exist

[Longwheelbass]

I just remembered buying a 1970 fretless P Bass bone stock in sunburst/rosewood, factory case with a factory black guard and the tugbar below the G. And in the case was one of those Fender booklets with "new for 1970" pics of the bass lineup. The pic of the fretless in the booklet was the same. Being that it was around 1992 at the time I couldn't afford a camera to document it lol.

 

[sleddogn]

be careful tugging, and obey all boating regulations.... move along

 

[DJ Bebop]

With apologies, what on Earth is a tug bar?

Both Jazz and P basses had them.
It was a way to anchor the hand to pluck with the thumb. A holdover of trying to get an upright sound out of the “new” electric bass.

 

[MIJ Fender Guy]

• The Fender tug bar, later called the thumb rest, began as a small but intentional design feature on early electric basses, particularly the Fender Precision Bass.
• It was introduced in the early 1950s by Leo Fender, who was pioneering an entirely new category of instrument.
• At the time, there was no established technique for electric bass playing, so design choices often reflected educated guesses about player needs.
• The tug bar was originally mounted below the strings, an unusual placement by modern standards.
• Its purpose was to provide a physical anchor point for the player’s fingers.
• Early bassists, many of whom came from upright bass backgrounds, were accustomed to pulling strings rather than plucking downward.
• The tug bar encouraged a hooking motion in which players would pull the strings upward.
• This motion gave rise to the name “tug bar,” referencing the act of tugging the strings.
• The heavier flatwound strings of the era made this technique feel more natural and controlled.
• Higher string action on early basses also contributed to the practicality of the upward pulling style.
• Throughout the 1950s, Fender consistently included the tug bar on its bass models.
• The feature appeared not only on Precision Basses but also on early versions of the Fender Jazz Bass.
• Despite Fender’s intentions, many players began to adopt alternative techniques.
• A growing number of bassists found it more intuitive to pluck downward instead of pulling upward.
• These players often ignored the tug bar entirely.
• Instead, they anchored their thumb on the pickup or allowed their hand to float freely.
• As musical styles evolved, so did playing techniques.
• By the early 1960s, the disconnect between design and usage had become clear.
• Fender observed that the majority of players were not using the tug bar as intended.
• This realization led to a significant design change in the mid-1960s.
• Fender relocated the bar from below the strings to above them.
• This new position aligned with the now-common downward plucking motion.
• In its new role, the bar became known as a thumb rest rather than a tug bar.
• The thumb rest provided a place for players to anchor their thumb while plucking.
• This change marked a shift toward adapting instruments to player behavior rather than dictating technique.
• The redesign was implemented across multiple Fender bass models.
• It reflected a broader trend in instrument evolution during the 1960s.
• As rock and pop music gained prominence, bass playing became more aggressive and rhythmic.
• The thumb rest supported these new styles by offering stability.
• However, not all players embraced the feature even in its new position.
• Some found it unnecessary or even restrictive.
• Techniques such as the “floating thumb” began to emerge.
• These approaches reduced reliance on fixed anchor points.
• The rise of funk in the late 1960s and 1970s further diminished the thumb rest’s importance.
• Players like Larry Graham popularized slap bass techniques.
• Slap and pop styles relied on thumb movement rather than anchoring.
• As a result, the thumb rest became less relevant for many musicians.
• Some players even removed it from their instruments entirely.
• Others left it in place but rarely used it.
• Despite declining practical use, the thumb rest remained part of Fender’s standard design.
• Over time, it became more of a visual and historical feature than a functional necessity.
• Vintage enthusiasts began to associate the thumb rest with classic Fender aesthetics.
• Reissue models often included it to maintain historical accuracy.
• The original term “tug bar” remained in use among collectors and historians.
• Modern players sometimes experiment with its placement or purpose.
• Some install custom thumb rests or ramps for ergonomic reasons.
• These modern adaptations reflect ongoing innovation in bass technique.
• The tug bar’s evolution mirrors the broader development of electric bass playing.
• It demonstrates how musicians shape instruments through their behavior and preferences.
• Today, the Fender tug bar or thumb rest stands as a small but telling artifact of the instrument’s early experimentation and continuous evolution.

 

[DJ Bebop]

• The Fender tug bar, later called the thumb rest, began as a small but intentional design feature on early electric basses, particularly the Fender Precision Bass.
• It was introduced in the early 1950s by Leo Fender, who was pioneering an entirely new category of instrument.
• At the time, there was no established technique for electric bass playing, so design choices often reflected educated guesses about player needs.
• The tug bar was originally mounted below the strings, an unusual placement by modern standards.
• Its purpose was to provide a physical anchor point for the player’s fingers.
• Early bassists, many of whom came from upright bass backgrounds, were accustomed to pulling strings rather than plucking downward.
• The tug bar encouraged a hooking motion in which players would pull the strings upward.
• This motion gave rise to the name “tug bar,” referencing the act of tugging the strings.
• The heavier flatwound strings of the era made this technique feel more natural and controlled.
• Higher string action on early basses also contributed to the practicality of the upward pulling style.
• Throughout the 1950s, Fender consistently included the tug bar on its bass models.
• The feature appeared not only on Precision Basses but also on early versions of the Fender Jazz Bass.
• Despite Fender’s intentions, many players began to adopt alternative techniques.
• A growing number of bassists found it more intuitive to pluck downward instead of pulling upward.
• These players often ignored the tug bar entirely.
• Instead, they anchored their thumb on the pickup or allowed their hand to float freely.
• As musical styles evolved, so did playing techniques.
• By the early 1960s, the disconnect between design and usage had become clear.
• Fender observed that the majority of players were not using the tug bar as intended.
• This realization led to a significant design change in the mid-1960s.
• Fender relocated the bar from below the strings to above them.
• This new position aligned with the now-common downward plucking motion.
• In its new role, the bar became known as a thumb rest rather than a tug bar.
• The thumb rest provided a place for players to anchor their thumb while plucking.
• This change marked a shift toward adapting instruments to player behavior rather than dictating technique.
• The redesign was implemented across multiple Fender bass models.
• It reflected a broader trend in instrument evolution during the 1960s.
• As rock and pop music gained prominence, bass playing became more aggressive and rhythmic.
• The thumb rest supported these new styles by offering stability.
• However, not all players embraced the feature even in its new position.
• Some found it unnecessary or even restrictive.
• Techniques such as the “floating thumb” began to emerge.
• These approaches reduced reliance on fixed anchor points.
• The rise of funk in the late 1960s and 1970s further diminished the thumb rest’s importance.
• Players like Larry Graham popularized slap bass techniques.
• Slap and pop styles relied on thumb movement rather than anchoring.
• As a result, the thumb rest became less relevant for many musicians.
• Some players even removed it from their instruments entirely.
• Others left it in place but rarely used it.
• Despite declining practical use, the thumb rest remained part of Fender’s standard design.
• Over time, it became more of a visual and historical feature than a functional necessity.
• Vintage enthusiasts began to associate the thumb rest with classic Fender aesthetics.
• Reissue models often included it to maintain historical accuracy.
• The original term “tug bar” remained in use among collectors and historians.
• Modern players sometimes experiment with its placement or purpose.
• Some install custom thumb rests or ramps for ergonomic reasons.
• These modern adaptations reflect ongoing innovation in bass technique.
• The tug bar’s evolution mirrors the broader development of electric bass playing.
• It demonstrates how musicians shape instruments through their behavior and preferences.
• Today, the Fender tug bar or thumb rest stands as a small but telling artifact of the instrument’s early experimentation and continuous evolution.

Bullet points

 

[hasbeen]

Both Jazz and P basses had them.
It was a way to anchor the hand to pluck with the thumb. A holdover of trying to get an upright sound out of the “new” electric bass.

View attachment 7482904

View attachment 7482903

Thanks mi amigo. I (we??) just called them thumb or finger rests. I hadn't heard the term "tug bar" before.

 

[TomB]

Below the strings, it’s a tug bar. Above the strings, it’s a thumb rest.

Same piece of plastic. It’s magic.

In either case, many of us in the 60’s just took them off. …not relevant, I know, just musing. Oh, and there’s a reason bridge covers were called “ashtrays” back then. A lot more of us smoked .

 

[robert_stuart]

Hi!

Don't get me wrong, this has helped me a lot. Thank you. But this thread also shows the whole irony of forum posts.

I asked a simple question. I got a simple answer from one member. Meanwhile, this has evolved into a discussion on many different sorts of things.

• what is a tug bar? You can google it way faster than writing the question but ... whatever
• although I asked a question about black Precision Bass pickguards, someone pointed out that white Jazz Bass pickguards can have the tug bar below or above the strings
• I was also informed that Jazz Basses with black pickguards are 3-bolt
• someone else who did not read the post properly stated that Precision Basses are never 3-bolt (of course not, that was never the question)
• I was informed that WD can make any pickguard. I know that. It was never remotely the question
• a funny joke about tug bars

You definitely got your $$ worth. Talkbass delivered.

 

[robert_stuart]

So you got what you wanted; why complain about the rest of the answers?

Humans do this - we discuss, think, point out oddities.

 

[MIJ Fender Guy]

Humans do this - we discuss, think, point out oddities.

Nah this dude was just being a jerk. Totally uncalled for, and honestly, unbelievable. I answered him accurately in the first reply, added some VERY relevant, brief, additional, related facts, and he complained. Wow. Just wow.

 

[gln1955]

Bullet points

It's almost like it's an AI response.

 

[ghostdog93]